Creative Minds Child Care Society

I work at Creative Minds, and it’s such a wonderful environment for children. My own childhood could have benefited from the community involvement and daily use of the neighboring forest.

My son has joined CM for a year and half since he was 3. The teachers here are very nice, supportive and really passionate about teaching for kids. My son has dramatically improvements in language skills, social readiness and hand skill, etc. CM has a big advantage which is located in the neighbour of forest. It is a very good experience for children to expore the nature. And the school administrator is a very famous teacher who has got lots of awards in the early childhood education.

Our daughter has attended Creative Minds Early Learning for nearly two years, and we have been extremely impressed with the program. She has learned and grown by leaps and bounds since starting at Creative Minds, and she is excited to go to school each morning. She talks about her friends, and especially her teachers, every day at home.From our experience at Creative Minds, it is clear that community is at the forefront. The children are valued, and their ideas are respected. Much of the learning and curriculum is driven by the children’s curiosity, and inquiry supported by the amazing staff helps the children deepen their understanding and connection to the world around them. As an educator myself, I value the way the teachers encourage the creativity and expression of each child, which helps foster this authentic sense of community.One of the unique draws of Creative Minds is its proximity to Pacific Spirit Regional Park. The children spend time in the forest daily, exploring and learning about their natural environment and developing their physical literacy skills. When we take her walking in the woods as a family, she is full of stories and facts that she has learned from her teachers at Creative Minds. While time in the forest is a major part of the children’s days, the classroom space is another highlight. The indoor classroom space is bright and welcoming, and there is an impressive collection of books, toys, and learning material to help support the children’s learning.The teaching staff at Creative Minds is one of the program’s strongest points. The teachers are creative, flexible, and caring. They each bring in unique ideas, and my daughter especially loves it when they share elements of their own backgrounds and cultures (especially when it involves cooking!). My daughter adores her teachers, and I can tell by the stories that she tells me of each of them, that they develop strong connections with each of the children, which in turn, makes her feel safe and valued.We highly recommend Creative Minds Early Learning!

My daughter did not feel that this child care gave her enough fun activities, engaging curriculum, or positive support. She did not want to go to school" and it broke my heart to see her so unhappy. I feel it was very difficult for me to find out who was the President and report numerous concerns. There are two child care workers who were kind and did the best they could given the circumstances."

CM is a great daycare and my daughter loves it. The teachers there are very caring and playful with the kids, extremely patient and professional. They spend a lot of time in the forest and the children can get to know, enjoy and respect the nature.

My youngest daughter attended Creative Minds from 2 1/2 until she aged out at Kindergarten.I was amazed how much they managed to adapt the curriculum to her changing needs. Kids change a lot from 2 1/2 to 5 and she was kept engaged and interested the entire time. The activities were creative and varied...from cooking to yoga to the usual ABCs 123s. Best of all they go into Pacific Spirit Park EVERY day! What a gift.The teachers actively blog and share their insights. They were always there to address any concerns and also to share the positive and the funny (like how the heck does my kid always manage to get things stuck in her hair?!).But more importantly, they foster a sense of community. My daughter had issues with some kids and loved others. But through all the interactions she learned that you have to be kind, respectful, and that your actions have an impact on those around you. That can be good or bad and you make a mark on the world around you.All the teachers were phenomenal. There was also a flow of students and volunteers that brought fresh ideas, energy, and perspectives. Kate who runs the organization is a dedicated advocate for early childhood learning and clearly loves what she does. She is continually furthering her education and sharing what she's learned.My only regret about Creative Minds is that I had a nanny for my older daughter instead of sending her there!Some advice--get on the waitlist early! You'll be glad you did.